The Denver Nuggets spent the offseason trying to get back to the top of the West, and they might have accomplished their goals.
Over the past couple of years, the Nuggets have had a couple of underwhelming second-round exits. After losing to the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 7 last season, the Nuggets knew they needed to make some changes.
From sending out Michael Porter Jr. for Cam Johnson to adding Tim Hardaway Jr., Jonas Valanciunas and others this offseason, the Nuggets have firmly cemented themselves as one of the top contenders in the league and perhaps the top challenger to the Thunder next season. While those moves are great and should address some of Denver’s biggest flaws in recent years, its hopes of winning another title will still depend on star power.
Nikola Jokic leading the way
Over the past decade, Nuggets basketball has been dominated by Jokic. With three MVPs and the 2023 championship, Jokic has easily become the top player in Nuggets history.
In a recent Bleacher Report article, Grant Hughes predicted that Jokic will still be the Nuggets’ best player in three years, and it was an obvious choice. Considering that Jokic is still considered by many to be the league’s best player, this prediction was more about where Jokic will be playing than anything else.
Considering he has never shown any signs of wanting to play for another team, it appears that Jokic will be a Nugget for however long he decides to play in the NBA. Of course, Denver would love if that lasts quite a while longer.